The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-03-04
1t made my heart ache tn see it. 1t
was a sight more pitiful than O. frown.

~ me See"3 . St"23SS admission &c
make, but Constable John FriCk apol-
ogiZed for doing his duty. Actually
said he was sorry for having to do it.
Then he touched the weeny cheek OF
the baby with his rough fingers and said
he hoped it would sOOn be well, and
otherwise talked in a way some folks
might have thought was ridiculous in
q constable.
But then if q man has q soft, ten
der heart, being a constable won't
change it, you know.
When the landlord came to the
'squire's office, four days later, and
peremDtOrily ordered the things put
out OF rooms six and seven, Constable
JOnn Frick felt about as Glue as he
ever did in all his life. He hadn't
been able to get that delicate lit
tie wOman's face out of his mind, nor
the sick baby, nor the drunken wretch
of a husband.
To tell the plain truth, he and his
good wife had talked the matter over
frequently. You see she was q
mother and had a mothers big and
tender heart in her bosom, quick
as a flash to feel where children were
concerned. Only that morning when
| was starting away on duty, she said,
prOmiscuOus like;
"RecOllect, John Frlck, if you put
that poor woman and her baby out
into the street such a day as this
showing and blowing fit to kiIl-yOu
needn't Y look me in the face
again"
"Jane," I said in my most dignifed
voice II must do my duty"
But, Lord, what a heap Of mean,
| cruel things we sometimes do in that
same name OF duty.
When the writ of expulsion was put
into my hands, and the landlord said
he wouldn't give another day, l felt
meaner than a skunk. The weather
was lust fearful. 1t was not only bit
ing cold, but damp and foggy, and
enough gloomy to make folks in
trouble bend their ideas to getting
relief by self murder.
/ found the same sOdden young man
in the saloon, as tipsy and slouChy
and dirty as before. No, come to
think, not exactly the same. Now he
was noisy drunk, staggering about
the place, swearing and Dragging,
thick-tongued and maudlin, and look
ing still more disgusting than when he
was doubled up on the chair.
"What the-dO you want in here?"
he yelled, as | was passing on to room
six.
"You dry up, Sevholm!" snapped
the greasy faced man, grabbing him by
the arm and swinging him back from
following after me. Hes got business
with your wife. Keep still-you're
not fit for business"
But the tipsy loafer broke away and
burst into the presence OF his wife, and
when l had explained the nature OF
my errand, he ranted out:
"It's all right, Elsie. I've got a
place ready. I'll fetch a wagon and
have the things moved right away"
And out he started on the run.
~ am glad OF that" l said to his
wife, as she held up her white, troubled
face toward me. How in the world
did so nice q woman become tied to a
brute like this?
"Oh, if he only will" was the pitiful
exclamation Of the heart-stricken wo-
man.
IAoW learned that another suite of
rooms had been secured, only waiting
payment OF the first months rent in
advance, and that by the sale OF q
portion of his wife's best wearing ap-
parel, the needed money had been Sc
| cured. / also learned that the man
was a irst-clsss workman in a bust
ness which paid exceptionally high
wages, and that until he had fallen in
| to habits of intoxication they had
lived as happily and respectfully as
hearts could desire.
would he return with the team
and gain the new home for his
family? or would he continue his
drunken spree and spend the
money his Wife's clothing had been
sacrificed to secure? / asked these
questions a score of times, as / stole
i~urtive g~lances at the troubled look
in the woman's eyes, and noted the
terrible strain her mind was in while
he was gone.
The furniture was nearly all packed
in readiness for removed, and | knew,
though she did not tell me that the
frail wife had spent her strength in
the arduous preparation.
Ihad told the landlord that they
were ready to move and would be
surely gone that day. He was not
hall satisfied. He came tearing to
the Office in a great stew Of anger and
impatience to have them thrust out
forthwith. He would not grant an
other hours delay, so there was no
/ haIO for ~ IL did NOT aoaod.
lily appear Ishould be compelled to
place their effects On the sidewalk.
So stating to Mrs sevholm, Iadded